OK,
folks, here is the short list of caving essentials along with some
lengthy description by me. That's just my style, so enjoy!

First
of all, you should know that the caves in Indiana are about 52 to 54
degrees F year round. That means that if you get wet (you wont get
really wet) you
could suffer from hypothermia. Similarly, if you get stranded or
stuck or otherwise momentarily disoriented (a.k.a. Lost - don't worry
though, really) you could also get cold. Your clothes willget dirty. Don't wear your favorite sweater and your roommates
khakis, because they will not look pretty after your trip. You
should wear old jeans, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt. You may also want
to consider a pair of coveralls. These are coveralls, mind you, not
OVERALLS. The difference is that coveralls cover your whole
body--with sleeves, whereas overalls have those button straps over
the shoulders and so forth. Overalls are a bad idea, because they
are going to catch on rocks and such. If you don't have coveralls, I
would not run out and buy a pair ($30 or so at Big R) but would wear
old jeans and a ratty sweatshirt or something like that. Coveralls
are best though.

OK,
that said, here is the list:

1.
Appropriate clothes (see above)

2.
Gloves

Gloves
are essential, since you will want to have your hands warm and clean.
I use washable leather work-type gloves. This keeps my hands pretty
dry and I like the leather because it breathes. Knitted gloves will
get wet and cold. You don't want to get wet, and you don't want to
touch formations with your bare hands (in fact, don't touch them at
all.)

3.
Boots

I
wear a nice pair of hiking boots, gore-tex lined. This is for warmth
and for traction. THEY WILL GET MUDDY!

4.
Knee pads

This
is optional, but everyone I cave with wears them and I highly
recommend it. You will be doing some interesting stuff in crevices
and over rocks, so you will want the padding. Crawling on the ground
can be forgiving, but crawling over rocks for 600 feet at a time is
tough on the knees. I have seen people use the plastic
roller-blading type pads, but these tend to break or get caught or
move out of position. I wear simple volleyball style foam-elastic
knee pads. This gives me flexible protection.

5.
Three sources of light

This
is a caver's rule. One is your headlamp (I will be loaning this
piece of equipment to you.) Two is a maglite or some other little
flashlight, and three is another spare light of some kind:
flashlight, candles, cyalume light stick. You don't want to be in a
cave in the dark, or moving along and your headlamp dies. It
happens. I carry my headlamp, a mini-maglite, and 3 - 24 hour
candles with waterproof matches. That is 3 sources. Really, this is
important. Try to leave those red plastic Ray-O-Vac flashlights at
home if you can, as they are a favorite food of the flashlight eating
Evil Cave Frogs! Light is everything to a caver, you should not
skimp on this one. Bring whatever you can carry comfortably or in a
pack. A trip leader does not take kindly to people who have light
problems and then have no spare light.

Evil
Cave Frog - A relative of the notorious Barking Cave Frog. Evil
Cave Frogs have never actually been seen but will eat flashlights and
sometimes have been known to put rocks in peoples packs. Usually
this happens when your back is turned, or leave your pack with the
rest of the group to check a side passage.

Barking
Cave Frogs - These are rarely
ever seen either, but you always know they are around when you hear
their call and smell them. Barking Cave Frogs smell terribly bad and
usually show up in tight crawlways where you cant escape their
stench.

6.
Helmet (We will supply this piece of equipment for you)

7.
Batteries

You
will need to supply batteries for your headlamp. This will be either
4 AA batteries or three C cells. I will tell you which you need.
Make sure you have a couple CHANGES of batteries. In other words,
bring at least 6 C's or 8 AA's, so you can change them underground if
you have to (WHEN you have to.)

8.
Water/food

I
carry two 16 oz. Evian's with me in my pack. I also bring granola
bars, beef jerky, crackers, cookies or GORP (Good Ol' Raisins and
Peanuts) to munch on. Make sure they are in a container where they
won't get smashed and remember, you cannot leaveanythingin the cave like wrappers and food.

9.
Pack

I
use a regular backpack, as I carry a first aid kit, compass, and some
extra supplies, but a fanny pack works nice. Regular duffles can be
difficult to carry around (especially in a tight crawlway.) A cave
pack is a very personal item to a caver. It takes time to find a
pack that works best for you. Don't use a briefcase! (*|;^)

10.
Change of clothes and shoes

Don't
forget some clean clothes. I wear my caving clothes to the caving
site. Sometimes I then change back into clean stuff at the end of
the day. Your clothes willget dirty. If you choose
to change on site, be sure to consider that it is likely that other
cavers will be changing in the same area, and there is no private
changing area.

11.
Money

The
cave area where we will be caving is privately owned and maintained,
and the owner asks that all who visit his property donate $1.00 to
help pay for his annual liability insurance premiums. That is not
much to ask when he is dedicating his time, money, and life to
preserving this natural environment for us to enjoy. Also, I always
go to Taco Bell after the trip if it's not too late.

A
few words about caving:

Basically
the caving experience can be enjoyed at multiple levels. There is a
lot to see in the form of geology and archeology, and there are many
different aspects of caving to experience. If you are not
comfortable doing something, speak up and tell me and we can form our
trip accordingly. On most trips, you have the opportunity to see
some nice formations and waterfalls, traverse cracks and crevices,
learn and improve your techniques in crevicing and
chimneying, experience bear-crawls and bellywomps, and find yourself
in giant rooms under the earth. On these trips, nothing
is beyond anyone's abilities, although many things are a challenge.
Safety is important and there are certain rules we must follow, but
by and large, caving is a fun experience.

I borrowed most of this text from someone, but I'll be darned if I can remember who it was! If it is your text, let me know, so I can give you credit!